Ignore the billboard. Hire the right coach for the right reasons.

[Big333223]

"Becky Hammond and Kara Lawson are both qualified candidates for coaching"

Yeah. It's like the OP put that in there just to make him (or her I suppose) feel better about the blatant misogyny.

Blatant or projected?

Pretty blatant. The post might as well start with, "I'm not a misogynist but..."

He says we know very little about the coaching schemes or experience of Lawson or Hammon but then advocates for two candidates without bringing up their schemes or coaching experience at all. His criticisms of those advocating for Lawson or Hammon is really telling on himself.

fwiw, I'm a Cassell guy.

Gender is the only variable you're seeing there? So maybe a little projection there?

Smartacus:

Now that there are two high profile female candidates for the head coaching positions many people in Massachusetts are foaming at the mouth to hire one of them.

Becky Hammon and Kara Lawson are both qualified candidates for coaching but I do not believe for one second that the majority of support they are getting has anything to do with basketball.

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

Yeah, that's not misogyny. He's criticizing a certain bias, not women's ability.

He's trying to criticize bias but he doesn't seem to be aware of his own.

He says Hammon and Lawson aren't the right candidates and then advocates for two other candidates for whom the same criticism he levels at Lawson and Hammon apply (Billups more than Cassell but Cassell has still never been a head coach and we still don't know anything about his "coaching schemes").

Everyone has bias. That doesn't mean his criticism isn't valid or constructive to recognize. Certainly doesn't merit being called misogyny. That anyone is right or wrong about Billups and/or Hammond doesn't mean we should project undue labels.

The fact is, a lot of people probably favor Hammond for the right reasons and could ultimately be wrong. Some might favor her for the wrong reasons, but could end up being right. Same for any coach, really.

This is really all about best process and the original post was a reminder to try to follow best process.

Except Smartacus advocates for a process based on experience and knowledge of coaching schemes and then suggests two candidates without head coaching experience (one with significantly less coaching experience than Lawson or Hammon) and whose coaching schemes we know nothing about.

No one is saying Smartacus has the secret formula for the best process or the best coach. But his criticism was valid. If we're driving somewhere together and I give some good reasons to take one route over another, that doesn't mean that route is going to be better. It just means I made some observations about why one route might not necessarily be the best.

Except he's applying his "valid criticism" to the two female candidates and not to the two male candidates.

[Big333223]

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

They’re only being pushed by that billboard and those that support the billboard because of their sex, no?

I take issue with your use of "only".

What are the chances that Becky and Kara just happen to be the #1 and #2 choices in either order? Otherwise, why would those two people be singled out for a billboard other than gender?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

Why are the "only" ones on the billboard?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

What other reasons are they being singled out?

Having reputations as good coaches with superior basketball minds who would be good candidates to be the Celtics head coach.

[gift]

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

They’re only being pushed by that billboard and those that support the billboard because of their sex, no?

I take issue with your use of "only".

What are the chances that Becky and Kara just happen to be the #1 and #2 choices in either order? Otherwise, why would those two people be singled out for a billboard other than gender?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

Why are the "only" ones on the billboard?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

What other reasons are they being singled out?

Having reputations as good coaches with superior basketball minds who would be good candidates to be the Celtics head coach.

How many others around the league have those reputations and why are they not on the billboard? Why are we not talking about them?

[Big333223]

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

They’re only being pushed by that billboard and those that support the billboard because of their sex, no?

I take issue with your use of "only".

What are the chances that Becky and Kara just happen to be the #1 and #2 choices in either order? Otherwise, why would those two people be singled out for a billboard other than gender?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

Why are the "only" ones on the billboard?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

What other reasons are they being singled out?

Having reputations as good coaches with superior basketball minds who would be good candidates to be the Celtics head coach.

How many others around the league have those reputations and why are they not on the billboard? Why are we not talking about them?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

[gift]

"Becky Hammond and Kara Lawson are both qualified candidates for coaching"

Yeah. It's like the OP put that in there just to make him (or her I suppose) feel better about the blatant misogyny.

Blatant or projected?

Pretty blatant. The post might as well start with, "I'm not a misogynist but..."

He says we know very little about the coaching schemes or experience of Lawson or Hammon but then advocates for two candidates without bringing up their schemes or coaching experience at all. His criticisms of those advocating for Lawson or Hammon is really telling on himself.

fwiw, I'm a Cassell guy.

Gender is the only variable you're seeing there? So maybe a little projection there?

Smartacus:

Now that there are two high profile female candidates for the head coaching positions many people in Massachusetts are foaming at the mouth to hire one of them.

Becky Hammon and Kara Lawson are both qualified candidates for coaching but I do not believe for one second that the majority of support they are getting has anything to do with basketball.

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

Yeah, that's not misogyny. He's criticizing a certain bias, not women's ability.

He's trying to criticize bias but he doesn't seem to be aware of his own.

He says Hammon and Lawson aren't the right candidates and then advocates for two other candidates for whom the same criticism he levels at Lawson and Hammon apply (Billups more than Cassell but Cassell has still never been a head coach and we still don't know anything about his "coaching schemes").

Everyone has bias. That doesn't mean his criticism isn't valid or constructive to recognize. Certainly doesn't merit being called misogyny. That anyone is right or wrong about Billups and/or Hammond doesn't mean we should project undue labels.

The fact is, a lot of people probably favor Hammond for the right reasons and could ultimately be wrong. Some might favor her for the wrong reasons, but could end up being right. Same for any coach, really.

This is really all about best process and the original post was a reminder to try to follow best process.

Except Smartacus advocates for a process based on experience and knowledge of coaching schemes and then suggests two candidates without head coaching experience (one with significantly less coaching experience than Lawson or Hammon) and whose coaching schemes we know nothing about.

No one is saying Smartacus has the secret formula for the best process or the best coach. But his criticism was valid. If we're driving somewhere together and I give some good reasons to take one route over another, that doesn't mean that route is going to be better. It just means I made some observations about why one route might not necessarily be the best.

Except he's applying his "valid criticism" to the two female candidates and not to the two male candidates.

I'm not defending his proposal. I'm defending his criticism. I'm separating the two. I think you should do the same, now that you can see that's more appropriate than assuming his criticism is wrong because his preferred candidates are possibly wrong.

[gift]

He's pretty explicit that he thinks Lawson and Hammon are only being pushed by fans because of their gender.

They’re only being pushed by that billboard and those that support the billboard because of their sex, no?

I take issue with your use of "only".

What are the chances that Becky and Kara just happen to be the #1 and #2 choices in either order? Otherwise, why would those two people be singled out for a billboard other than gender?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

Why are the "only" ones on the billboard?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

What other reasons are they being singled out?

Having reputations as good coaches with superior basketball minds who would be good candidates to be the Celtics head coach.

How many others around the league have those reputations and why are they not on the billboard? Why are we not talking about them?

Of course they're being singled out for their gender. I take issue with the idea that they're being singled out "only" because of their gender.

If two things are 99% identical, and I'm choosing between them, my decision is based on the 1% difference not the 99%.

"Becky Hammon and Kara Lawson are both qualified candidates for coaching" could be seen as an acknowledgement that they have the prerequisites, the 99%. But what do they have in that 1% that merits them being singled out? We've already both acknowledged that the billboard seems to indicate gender is the only thing beyond that 99%.

That's not to say that they don't possess something that separates them from the pack. It's just that the people behind the billboard and many other supporters wouldn't be aware of that. That's the criticism.

I'm on record as supporting a Hammon hire. She has a great rep around the league and years of experience under a coach who has groomed head coaches. Lawson would surprise me just because she has less experience, but if the Celtics hired her it would be because they know she can do the job. They know her better. I'm also open to a variety of other candidates.

That Hammon and Lawson show up on the Celtics candidate list is not about gender. That they are the only two on the billboard or that certain people want, indicates that it is about gender for those people. I don't think those are basketball fans though. Those are mostly casuals and activists who don't care much about results.

[PhoSita]

People are allowed to be excited about the idea of a woman getting a head coaching job.  I am sure Brad will hire the best person for the job, in his estimation.

If you're griping about people being excited by the idea of the Celts hiring a woman to be head coach, that only says unflattering things about you.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Billboard Blackmail....Hire the best candidate.

[Ogaju]

So tired of the woke crowd claiming discrimination because they are females. It’s called discrimination because neither has been a head coach in the NBA. Let me repeat that, neither have coached a single game in the NBA.

Get outta here with the constant racial undertone thing.

By this logic we shouldn't be looking at Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups and we shouldn't have hired Brad Stevens.

Curious to know who your preferred head coach is, given that you don't want someone who hasn't been an NBA head coach before.

I believe I have seen Becky coach an nba game.

[CBS_Take a Report]

So tired of the woke crowd claiming discrimination because they are females. It’s called discrimination because neither has been a head coach in the NBA. Let me repeat that, neither have coached a single game in the NBA.

Get outta here with the constant racial undertone thing.

By this logic we shouldn't be looking at Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups and we shouldn't have hired Brad Stevens.

Curious to know who your preferred head coach is, given that you don't want someone who hasn't been an NBA head coach before.

I believe I have seen Becky coach an nba game.

When Pops got ejected? Hardly qualifies.

And to the other posters saying well then Chauncey Billups or Sam Cassell shouldn’t get a look either based on the logic of my original post because they haven’t coached in the NBA, I completely and utterly agree. I want neither.

[Ogaju]

My first choice for the job is Juwan Howard.

My second choice is Becky Hammon because of the Pop factor. If you can’t get Pop, you hire his top assistant for the last many years who has been heralded by many of her players.

[Ogaju]

So tired of the woke crowd claiming discrimination because they are females. It’s called discrimination because neither has been a head coach in the NBA. Let me repeat that, neither have coached a single game in the NBA.

Get outta here with the constant racial undertone thing.

By this logic we shouldn't be looking at Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups and we shouldn't have hired Brad Stevens.

Curious to know who your preferred head coach is, given that you don't want someone who hasn't been an NBA head coach before.

I believe I have seen Becky coach an nba game.

When Pops got ejected? Hardly qualifies.

And to the other posters saying well then Chauncey Billups or Sam Cassell shouldn’t get a look either based on the logic of my original post because they haven’t coached in the NBA, I completely and utterly agree. I want neither.

Which re-thread do you want?

[CptZoogs]

I would argue that the whole concept of a “most qualified” candidate is bogus anyways.  We are not talking about a well-ordered metric here.  And provided that a certain degree of pre-requisites are met, I have no issue with race or gender playing some role in the hire.  It’s not like the billboard was throwing out random female names out there.  If you have a pool of similarly valid choices, you should consider what elements separate them from the pack.  A female hire would certainly qualify as different, but again the fit needs to be correct.  I am intrigued by Lawson primarily based on comments made by players in the organization as well as others close to the organization.  I am not interested in another re-tread unless it was a specific case where another organization was stupid and got rid of someone (McMillan, Malone, Joerger come to mind).

Also, a lot of people on this board love to trot out the fact the Russell was the first black nba coach.  I can only imagine how some of you would have really reacted to the idea back at that time.

[CBS_Take a Report]

So tired of the woke crowd claiming discrimination because they are females. It’s called discrimination because neither has been a head coach in the NBA. Let me repeat that, neither have coached a single game in the NBA.

Get outta here with the constant racial undertone thing.

By this logic we shouldn't be looking at Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups and we shouldn't have hired Brad Stevens.

Curious to know who your preferred head coach is, given that you don't want someone who hasn't been an NBA head coach before.

I believe I have seen Becky coach an nba game.

When Pops got ejected? Hardly qualifies.

And to the other posters saying well then Chauncey Billups or Sam Cassell shouldn’t get a look either based on the logic of my original post because they haven’t coached in the NBA, I completely and utterly agree. I want neither.

Which re-thread do you want?

Jason Kidd.

He is a previous coach, was a 9x All Defensive Team (and this team needs to emphasize defense moving forward), Hall of fame player, and 2x Gold medalist in the Olympics.

Seems qualified to me.

[CptZoogs]

So tired of the woke crowd claiming discrimination because they are females. It’s called discrimination because neither has been a head coach in the NBA. Let me repeat that, neither have coached a single game in the NBA.

Get outta here with the constant racial undertone thing.

By this logic we shouldn't be looking at Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups and we shouldn't have hired Brad Stevens.

Curious to know who your preferred head coach is, given that you don't want someone who hasn't been an NBA head coach before.

I believe I have seen Becky coach an nba game.

When Pops got ejected? Hardly qualifies.

And to the other posters saying well then Chauncey Billups or Sam Cassell shouldn’t get a look either based on the logic of my original post because they haven’t coached in the NBA, I completely and utterly agree. I want neither.

Which re-thread do you want?

Jason Kidd.

He is a previous coach, was a 9x All Defensive Team (and this team needs to emphasize defense moving forward), Hall of fame player, and 2x Gold medalist in the Olympics.

Seems qualified to me.

What aspects of his stints in Brooklyn and Milwaukee appeal to you?  He had considerable talent in both situations and results were underwhelming.  Sure, Giannis reportedly fought to keep him, but he strikes me as guy that is loyal across the board.